A funky collective of Multi-Media Artists. We adapted Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s words: "Art and Literature are the weapons". Our focus is solely to HELP OTHERS irrespective of their reputation, status or life’s struggle through our society, culture, social media and the written word. Everyone has a story to tell.

Bayern Ryan

I thought to myself, fair question. Let’s just say it’s because the truth of my business is what set me free. I guess I was tired of being misadvised to lie all the time by old friends in my adolescence, teenage years and later in university by different peers and I’ll distinctly put it as pessimistically in my adulthood. I always have a side eye when being advised to lie. Nowadays, I prefer the truth to be written down as opposed to being recorded via audio or video. Trust me it will save you plenty pennies. I no longer talk extensively on camera except in comfortable and calculated environments with the #TribeofGuruve gal dem or man dem.

I’m sure you guessed it’s because of his #GhanaWakanda roots, but it’s all good because he plays for Germany and they are the best, at least technically. There’s no need to lose sleep over immigration and naturalization of Black Africans. Let’s just say #WakandaAfricans are global tribesmen and so is Jérôme.

My Baba, @DanManyika taught me this responsibility many years ago, so special shoutout to him and his Twitter account which is less than two years old. Check him out.

The irony of this post is the intersection of my little-big brother’s name, a team that I respect, but lowkey dislike because they win all the time and a place where I met this one-eyed lad – literally.

For the purposes of this post, he shall be Bayern Ryan. I don’t think people realize the impact of one’s first impression. It leaves a lasting and indelible mark on your ineradicable memory and has no rehearsal no matter how many times you try in front of the mirror. When I met Ryan at Hoolie’s, he was a South Carolinian twang-speaking sailor. I won’t repeat his fancy words because I’m realizing I have readers less than 18-years old now and I don’t want to be remembered as a sailing writer.

Bayern Ryan is clearly passionate about his favorite team – Bayern Munich to the point that his Cancer-ravaged eyeball was replaced with a Bayern-eye-ball. If you meet him you’ll look for a moment when he’s not aware of his periphery to stare into his gruesome socket, but thankfully it’s covered by an artistic eye.

(Leave me a comment and tell me who the designer was so I can give them credit)

I’m not here to steal shine, but to bring it.

What you won’t realize in your first interaction with him is his Social Media savvy skills and how he gets into high rooms in high places in the football fraternity. I’m here to admit that part of why we pursue Social Media profusely for the #TribeofGuruve. It’s because there are millions of Ryans who need to be reached and plenty of influencers that can change their lives not necessarily with money, but with juice, sauce and a power to meet whatever goals they want to accomplish in life.

Pause and take a deep breath.

This is where this post gets juicy.

On New Year’s Day 2018, one-eyed Ryan almost lost his life to a bone-crushing head-on collision. A driver decided to get a felony-DUI by driving on the opposite side of the road. You may not believe me, so here you go:

Knocked out into blackness, skin blue and unconscious with his one-eyed life before him, this Bayern sailor was slipping into death. Only God knows how some Samaritan-passers-by and meticulous emergency professionals secured his body – before it became a host of once a Bayern Spirit.

This was inevitably going to be a fateful day exactly two months ago and so I’m here for you to reflect.

Here’s a list of injuries Ryan shared with me over text message:

Ruptured spleen,

shattered R femur,

sliced R MCL and Meniscus,

crushed R ankle,

foot and heel,

L tibia plateau fracture,

Pulmonary Embolism.

Result:

I have a titanium rod and 6 screws in my femur,

MCL and Meniscus knee surgery,

3 lag bolts and 4 screws in my foot,

4. 2 plates and 8 screws in left knee,

A IVC filter to prevent another Pulmonary Embolism,

In total bills to this point estimated $425k.

Look in his one eye and I’m sure you can’t believe he is still alive. Here we are catching up a couple of weeks ago – before I was compelled to write this post.

I’ve grown to be fond of Ryan because he wakes up with a smile on his face everyday no matter the circumstances. I’m actually going to stop writing right now because this body of work speaks for itself.

If Bayern Ryan can survive Cancer, a near-death auto-accident that was not his fault, what’s stopping you from overcoming your fears or struggles? I used to complain and make excuses about everything. I used to cry about everything – then I met Bayern Ryan. Go figure where my mindset is now. I’m only hopeful Jehovah keeps it that way.

Before I go, I have some funnies. I told Bayern Ryan I can’t wait to slide-tackle him one day. In true Bayern Ryan fashion he responded,